musician’s

Mental Moment-communication

Written by on June 28, 2012

communication3

Communication is so important. When you aren’t able to communicate you don’t get our needs met. Why? Because people don’t know what those needs are. If you don’t communicate with people in your life they are left to either make assumptions about what you need  or they act and respond based on their own need to be. For example, a golf client hated that one of his best friends was always using foul language on the golf course. It effected his golf game. I asked my client whether he’d ever said anything about how this foul language was disturbing and … Continued

How definitions effect your performance

Written by on June 27, 2012

Perspective

In my work with Elite Performers I have them clarify and define phrases, terms, situations and conditions. I can certainly make assumptions about what a client needs and wants but they know much better than I do. I also find it gives them an opportunity to think more broadly about the phrases, terms, situations and conditions they use around their performance and this awareness can lead to increased self esteem, enhanced confidence and feelings of control. How we see ourselves How do you see yourself? Sometimes we say things out of habit or because that is what we’ve been told … Continued

Mental Moment-is all stress bad

Written by on June 26, 2012

stress response

Influences of stress on performance come in two forms: eustress and distress. Eustress known as ‘good’ stress is a form of stress that some individuals seek out.  They feel it benefits their performance, either by helping them to focus or by enhancing intrinsic motivation because they know they have coped with a stressful situation. Eustress is a good form of stress and can leave you with a feeling of fulfilment.  Pushing oneself to the limit can induce positive stress.  It can help to improve focus thus improving technique. Distress is known as ‘bad’ stress and normally what we talk about … Continued

Can/should you be prepared for anything

Written by on June 25, 2012

be prepared for anything

My theory is that I don’t need to dig into area’s of a client’s life unless they want to. This sometimes means that I have to be very careful of the area’s I probe more thoroughly. For example, last week a client who is seeing me to enhance the client’s tennis game came in wanting to talk about some potential ‘emotional eating’ issues. The combination of being an Elite Performer and struggling with body image, emotional eating or other food issues is not uncommon however after asking a couple of  clarifying questions we both realized that it wasn’t really anything … Continued

Mental Moment-psychoneuromuscular theory

Written by on June 19, 2012

imagination

How does imagery really work? Psychoneuromuscular theory: when an Elite Performer practices using imagery, they imagine movements without performing them, although the brain interprets this as if they were performing them, which provides similar impulses in the brain and in the muscles. Small impulses fire from your brain to your muscles with the exactness that you are imagining. Take one small area of your performance that you are struggling with or want to enhance. If you were performing that one thing to your level of ‘perfection’ what would that look like? Write it down. Go through what you wrote down … Continued

The inverted-U style of losing

Written by on June 18, 2012

inverted_u general

I don’t like to use the terms lost/lose. Why? Because they aren’t accurate and all these words do is make performers feel bad. It lowers confidence and motivation. Yes you may have lost the audition or lost a game but did you really lose? Lets put it another way: what did you gain? Besides looking at a less than expected outcome from the perspective of what did you gain what are some other healthy ways to deal with these situations? What does a lose really mean For most performers a loss really means that you aren’t good enough to win. As … Continued

New can be scary but ultimately successful

Written by on June 16, 2012

bullseye

A few weeks ago I wrote about ‘success’ and how having the ability to look at success differently can be one of the key’s to feeling more successful. Another (obviously) import key to success is the ability to add mental training into your performance routine. Mental training Mental training is designed to help Elite Performers develop, acquire and practice skills that have been shown to be useful for improving and enhancing enjoyment of performing. Research has shown that mental skills can give Elite Performers an edge over the competition. New doesn’t have to be scary If mental training is new … Continued

Do you know how you are feeling

Written by on June 13, 2012

emotions

Emotions are difficult. Why do you think there are so many people who use coping mechanisms like food, exercise, drugs and alcohol? So many people didn’t grow up ‘learning’ about emotions and if they didn’t grow up learning about emotions they certainly didn’t grow up learning how to deal with emotions. You have emotions We all have emotions and you can run away from them but then they have the tendency to keep popping up and at the worst times. I am not generalizing or stereotyping but I see this a lot with men golfers. Men are generally not in … Continued

Mental Moment-heart & soul

Written by on June 12, 2012

heart and soul

Too much thinking confuses you’re brain. After a while the brain takes flight (checks out) because it’s overloaded and is unable to decipher which direction you want to go. Generally a lot of  thinking a week or hours before you are to perform is your way of (unconsciously) sabotaging the situation. It is the keyhole the brain needs to fire off in a million different directions confusing and sabotaging more deeply as you go. One example comes from a cuerrent client. In three months this client has done an amazing amount of work and has started developing a better, very solid … Continued

Lacking confidence

Written by on June 9, 2012

confidence

In a broad sense confidence is the ability to believe that you can reach your goal. Do you have what it takes to get from where you are to where you want to be regardless of the external parameters (environment, competition, coaches, teachers, instructors, judges, critics, spectators, etc)? Do you trust and feel in control of your internal environment? Goals This is a great place to start the conversation because if  your goal is too huge and lofty then it’s out of your reach. And if it’s out of your reach it’s out of your control and you have set … Continued